If I open a Thrift Store that’s NOT a "non-profit" store, can customers write off the donations on their taxes?

Posted by admin on March 5th, 2010 and filed under goodwill donations | 2 Comments »

We would just have a family owned and ran thrift store, but wouldn’t be a chain like Goodwill or Salvation Army. If we aren’t able to promise that they can write off their donations to our store, then we’d lose out on a lot of inventory. Does anyone know how this would work? Thanks!

Nope you need to not only be a non-profit and incorporate as a non-profit. You need to be a specific kind of a non profit to have donations be tax deductable.

The kind of non-profit that IS tax deductable will take 6 – 12 months to set up.

2 Responses

  1. mcc Says:

    Nope you need to not only be a non-profit and incorporate as a non-profit. You need to be a specific kind of a non profit to have donations be tax deductable.

    The kind of non-profit that IS tax deductable will take 6 – 12 months to set up.
    References :

  2. ibu guru Says:

    You must be established and registered as a non-profit charitable organization, then apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) status to obtain tax-deductibility for donations. It takes up to 3 years to get this from IRS. For-profit companies are, of course, not eligible for this tax-deductibility provision. This is why privately-owned for-profits open as consignment shops and split the proceeds with the property owner when sold. And few are profitable — rents, etc, eat up your 50% of the proceeds.

    BTW, you will need a resale license and sales tax set up with your state, and most require a large deposit with the state against future sales tax collections.
    References :

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